It doesnt, but at least going in to a store I can look at the cases before ordering one.

I'm sure I read on macrumors that you can just take ya iphone 4 into a store and get a case.

In all fairness I dont really want to use one, I find them ugly and inconvenient (wont fit car kit) but there useful when im travelling.

Same here, not going to turn down something that is free though.

I'll use it when I first get it just to prove to myself that I don't like the feel or look of the phone with one on, and will then only use it when the need really calls for a bit of protection.

I got a shipped email yesterday says it'll be here in 3/4 working days.

Same here, quite a surprise that.

The strange thing is I prefer the look and feel of the phone with the bumper on.

ordered the belkin clear micra thing, says est shipping date, SEPTEMBER 20th!! Seriously?!

got my email yesterday - but id like to receive the phone first!

Mine said est. shipping August 26th, and its been shipped now... they have got a lot to send out so the late shipping dates are just in case they slip probably.

Bugger, mine has still not shipped despite being ordered within an hour of the app being available (thanks to KersterK pointing me in the right direction).

Hopefully it will be added to the shipped list in the next day or so as I would like to have it in time for going on holiday next month.

Gormond - I will look forward to seeing how I feel about how the case changes the look and feel of the phone. I like the design and feel without a bumper, but am not closed to the thought that it might improve it . We'll see.

Just ordered my bumper however in the meantime I bought a cheap £5 one in Oxford Street as my phone will no doubt have recieve the odd little scratch when placing in my pocket.

I prefer the bumper as I find the phone can be quite slipperly without one, when you the net or writing txts etc.

I went for the pixel HD one and it said 2-3 months to receive it!

Just got a shipping email from Apple for my official black bumper.

My order was placed about an hour after the app went live, so anyone whi ordered around that time but hasn't had an email yet might get one soon.

I ordered mine with the hour after the app was launched and received my case today. Very nice

Same here wasnt expecting to receive til end of aug but nice surprise to get it early.

Was supposed to receive mine at the end of August - just got an email saying it's been sent - ETA couple of days.

Under promise, then over deliver. Very simple way of looking like you have given great customer service when all you have done is something fairly standard.

I'm not knocking Apple at all for giving me a free bumper. It's just a shame we are in the situation where it is felt it is needed to be issued in the first place.

Maybe if the Internet rumour mills hadn't hyped the iPhone to be such a mythical and amazing product then peoples expectations of perfection would not have been so high. I'm pretty sure Apple have never actually hyped the iPhones up as much as people may think they have. I don't see them do anything different in a product launch than any other product, it's just the public perception and thirst for Apple products is so high the reality if it can only ever fall short if the supposed perfection they were setting themselves up for.

All I see Apple do is show how proud they are of their products. They show how proud they are if what it does, what they have managed to achieve with the hardware and software, and are proud of their overall design.

Just as any parent holds their own child in the highest regard of perfection in their own eyes, when to others they can easily pick up on how ugly the child might be or the fact that their nose is a bit too big.

Perhaps Apples clouded pride has caused them to overlook a few imperfections, but hey, I would rather by something from a company that was proud with what they have worked on rather than some faceless electronics just churning out sub par product after sub par product with only the occasional jem.

But as the saying goes, pride comes before a fall. Let's hope Apple have learnt something from this whole palaver and come out of it a more humble company. We can also hope the public expectation has dropped in time for whatever comes next, maybe then whatever is released can then be enjoyed for whatever innovations it brings with it rather then everyone finding holes to make bigger by poking their fingers in and then spreading their findings all over the Internet.

I am not a fanboy. I do not agree with Apples approach to a lot of things. However, they do truly innovate wherever they can and the electronics market would surely be a duller place without them.

Good post - I totally agree.